Medical face mask



H. J. DURBOROVV MEDICAL FACE MASK F'iled Sept. 22, 1948 Aug. 2l, 1'951Patented ug. 2T, 1951 ne;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEDICAL FACE MASK Henry J. Durborow, Pitman,N. J. Application September 22, 1948, Serial No. 50,452

i4 Claims. (Cl. 12S-146) This invention relates to medical masks for usein surgical operations and the like.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive mask so constructed that, when tied in place, it ispositioned from the bridge of the nose and from the chin, and ts thecheeks, whereby the pressure is substantially evenly distributed and istherefore light; leaves the eyes exposed; and does not fold into thelips.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mask of the characterdescribed which may be washed and sterilized and ironed for re-use.

The masks heretofore generally in use jam into the lips, exert localizedpressure, and cannot be ironed so that customarily they are used butonce and thrown away.

How the foregoing, together with such other objects and advantages asmay hereinafter appear or are incident to the invention, are realized isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a viewillustrating the mask in place;

Fig; 2 is a face View of one form of blank which may be utilized inmaking the mask, with one corner folded back to indicate multiplethicknesses of fabric, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mask with one portion folded back.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen thatthe mask comprises two substantially counterpart portions A and B.Viewed in face elevation, these portions are essentially of invertedpyramidal form, i. e., they are substantially heart-shaped. In the blankof Fig. 2, the mask is composed of a plurality of layers of mosquitonetting or other suitable form of gauze, in this instance four layersbeing shown. The sheets from which the blank is stamped consist of fourlayers of such a fabric, and after the blanks arestamped out, themarginal edge portions are whipped or buttonhole stitched for whichpurpose there are machines available. This presents a clean edge with noravelings.

The top edges 'l of each of the portions A and B are concave so thatwhen the mask is applied it will fit the contours of the cheeks. Thecorresponding upper corners e-e are desirably beveled for attachment ofthe tie strings 8 as shown in Figs. 1 and `3. The other upper cornersf-f, when the blank is folded on itself, fold in a vertically straightline 9 as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. When thus folded the side edges ofthe respective portions which extend from the bottom c of the fold tothe apices a. will register and such CTI 2 side edges are joined orsecured together as by sewing. The other side edges g and the tops andthe corners e are not joined whereby the mask may be opened forapplication to the face.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the fold from the point d to thepoint c will form a bridge |piece fitting the bridge of the nose, sothat when in place the nose will support or position the mask fromabove.

Referring now to the side edge portions a-c, it will be seen that theseedges are not straight but that the portions JL- b` and b-c are,generally considered, of flattened V-shape. When these edges are sewedtogether, the portion between a and b will fit snugly under the chin asshown in Figure 1. The portions b-c will then extend from the tip of thenose to the tip of the chin in a substantially straight line whereby themask will not fold or jam into the lips. The side edges g are preferablybut not necessarily curved to snugly t the cheeks. Thus the massconforms to the nose, chin and cheeks. In consequence, the pressurerequired to hold the mask in place is relatively light and substantiallyuniformly distributed. Localized relatively heavy pressures are thusavoided.

Moreover, the mass can be held in place by but two tie strings. Somemasks in use require four tie strings, an arrangement which appliesuncomfortable pressures on the nose.

It will be readily understood that instead of making one blank with thetwo portions a and b integrally joined as shown in Fig. 2, the portionsa and b may be separately stamped and sewed together or otherwise joinedalong the line Q. Other modifications will readily suggest themselves,the essential characteristic being that the two portions a and b aresubstantially heart shape in face elevation.

Another advantage of the construction is that the masks can be readilyand conveniently packaged in large` numbers in a minimum of l Space.

3. The mask of claim 1 characterized by that the joined together edgesfor at least a portion of their length in the vicinity of the apex areof attened V-shape generally considered.

4. A medical face mask comprising two substantially counterpart flatportions each of substantially heart shape in face elevation, each suchportion being integrally joined to the other at corresponding uppercorners to fold in a vertically straight line extending to a point ashort distance downwardly from the top, the side edges of the portionsextending from said point to the apices in attened V-shape generallyconsidered, said side edges being joined together,

the other side edges and the tops being unjoined,

and tie strings for the other upper corners.

HENRY J. DURBOROW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 111e ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,142,990 Stern June 15, 19151,946,334 Schwartz Feb. 6, 1934

